Former UFC champion and Ireland native Conor McGregor is <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/conor-mcgregor-dublin-riots-far-right-hero-0sgwmd5sw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> under investigation for &#8220;online hate speech&#8221; linked to comments made on social media criticizing Irish authorities for their handling of a suspected Algerian immigrant stabbing five people, including three children, last week.
McGregor, one of Ireland&#8217;s most famous citizens with approximately 60 million followers on Instagram and X, weighed in on the assault on social media following the attack, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1727463168283124036" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, &#8220;Ireland, we are at war.&#8221;
&#8220;Do not let any irish property be took over unannounced,&#8221; McGregor <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1727462726211915855" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;Evaporate said property. It&#8217;s a war.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/riots-break-out-in-ireland-after-children-stabbed-outside-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Violent riots erupted</a> in Ireland&#8217;s capital, Dublin, on Thursday after the alleged assailant stabbed five people, including two adults and three children as young as five years old, near a school in the city center. All but one of the victims in the attack <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/4326637-5-things-to-know-about-the-riots-in-dublin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> continue to receive medical treatment.
The night of violence resulted in the arrest of at least 34 of the reported 500 rioters — some of whom set a bus and police car ablaze and damaged multiple buildings as officials suspended all public transport in the city.
Irish Garda commissioner Drew Harris labeled the Dublin riots as &#8220;disgraceful scenes&#8221; caused by a &#8220;hooligan faction driven by far-right ideology.&#8221; But the police commissioner&#8217;s remarks were met with harsh criticism from UFC superstar.
&#8220;Innocent children ruthlessly stabbed by a mentally deranged non-national in Dublin, Ireland today,&#8221; McGregor <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1727800056835621033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1727800056835621033%7Ctwgr%5Eed11552ea6a3efb7f428bc4906cf8c9e0684b698%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhumanevents.com%2F2023%2F11%2F26%2Fmma-legend-conor-mcgregor-under-investigation-over-social-media-posts-after-algerian-immigrant-allegedly-stabbed-women-children-in-dublin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Our chief of police had this to say on the riots in the aftermath. Drew, not good enough. There is grave danger among us in Ireland that should never be here in the first place, and there has been zero action done to support the public in any way, shape or form with this frightening fact. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Make change or make way. Ireland for the victory. God bless those attacked today, we pray.&#8221;
After his initial remarks, McGregor emphasized he did not condone the Dublin riots, stolen property and destruction, or any attacks on first responders.
&#8220;Last nights scenes achieved nothing toward fixing the issues we face,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1728103250962808866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;I do understand frustrations however, and I do understand a move must be made to ensure the change we need is ushered in. And fast! I am in the process of arranging. Believe me I am way more tactical and I have backing. There will be change in Ireland, mark my words.&#8221;
But as authorities organized to confront rioters, McGregor&#8217;s comments echoed across the Internet as reports swirled that the suspect was a foreign national, sparking the large anti-immigration protest to flood the streets of Dublin.
McGregor&#8217;s comments instantly made the mixed martial artist a leading voice in Ireland as the nation deals with an influx of immigrants, which <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/least-three-children-taken-hospital-after-dublin-stabbing-rte-2023-11-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> has risen to its second-highest level in recent months and among the highest per capita in the European Union.
Authorities reportedly have since launched an investigation into the mixed martial arts fighter as part of an inquiry into the dissemination of so-called online hate speech, according to The Sunday Times.
The investigation comes as Irish officials have reportedly started preparing to pass radical legislation concerning the public speech law, which historically has lacked a consistent definition.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadker recently told local media that the lawmakers should immediately pass the legislation in the next few weeks to target individuals who post &#8220;messages and images that stir up hatred and violence.&#8221;
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Varadkar says hate speech law to be pushed through in the next few weeks to go after individuals who post images that stir up hatred online&#8230;. <a href="https://t.co/YSJxr6rjUf">pic.twitter.com/YSJxr6rjUf</a>
&mdash; Caoimhin 🇮🇪 (@Caoimhinn55) <a href="https://twitter.com/Caoimhinn55/status/1728109509183525069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Sunday World <a href="https://www.sundayworld.com/news/breaking-news/micheal-martin-slams-conor-mcgregor-for-inciting-hate-after-outburst-over-dublin-riots/a2064209373.html#:~:text=Tanaiste%20Micheal%20Martin%20has%20criticised,The%20Minister%20for%20Foreign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Minister for Foreign Affairs Tanaiste Micheál Martin said that speaking against mass immigration in Ireland is &#8220;essentially inciting hate&#8221; and such remarks &#8220;of that type&#8221; are &#8220;absolutely disgraceful.&#8221;
Although Martin did not specifically name McGregor in his remarks, he claimed that voices like McGregor&#8217;s are &#8220;isolated and &#8220;are inciting hate and to some degree incitement is unacceptable.&#8221;
McGregor responded to Martin, referencing a Slovak national who was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/former-ufc-fighter-conor-mcgregor-aims-criticism-at-irish-leaders-amid-unrest-in-dublin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> found guilty last week of stabbing to death 23-year-old Irish teacher and musician Ashling Murphy in 2022.
&#8220;Blame anyone but themselves,&#8221; McGregor <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1728032553368498323" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Typical. Worthless you are Michaél. Worthless and spineless. Ryan Casey called you all out last week grieving the love of his life, stolen by pawn scum, and nothing but waffle from you all since. Zero action!&#8221;
In other comments, McGregor called on citizens of Ireland to oppose the nation&#8217;s immigration policies amid the recent attacks,  <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1727866945087619143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> to his followers, “We are not losing any more of our woman and children to sick and twisted people who should not even be in Ireland in the first place.”
&#8220;Call it what you want,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We do not care. May God help us all. Ireland for victory.&#8221;
Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

Conor McGregor court case

Conor McGregor Under Investigation For ‘Online Hate Speech’ By Irish Authorities: Report

Conor McGregor Under Investigation For 'Online Hate Speech' By Irish Authorities: Report

Conor McGregor

Immigration

Ireland

Riots

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<a href="https://www.nbc15.com/2023/06/16/arrests-made-thefts-yogi-berras-world-series-rings-warhol-pollock-art/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arrests Made Over Theft Of Yogi Berra World Series Rings</a>
Charges against a ring of nine people for thefts of millions of dollars worth of paintings, sports memorabilia, and other valuables have been announced by federal authorities. The thefts took place over more than two decades at 20 museums, institutions, and stores across several states. The stolen goods included an Andy Warhol silkscreen, a Jackson Pollock painting, and nine World Series rings belonging to the late Yankees catcher Yogi Berra.
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jun/14/synthetic-human-embryos-created-in-groundbreaking-advance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stem-Cell Babies</a>
Scientists in the United Kingdom claim that they have achieved a remarkable scientific feat — creating synthetic human embryos by using stem cells without any eggs or sperm. Professor Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz, of the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology, announced the news on Wednesday at a conference in Boston, but the potential method is still a long way from being used clinically. It also raises serious ethical and legal questions.
<a href="https://campusreform.org/article?id=23476" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TCU To Host Class About Drag</a>
Texas Christian University’s course catalog shows the school will offer a course called “The Queer Art of Drag” this coming fall. The course will be taught by Dr. Nino Testa, who also goes by his drag name “Maria von Clapp.” A syllabus for the course indicates that students will use worksheets and vision boards to develop their own drag personas, culminating in a live lip-sync performance.
<a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9768269/drug-bust-canola-oil-jugs-bc-australia-cbsa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Meth Ring Busted</a>
After a five-month investigation, law enforcement in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have busted a massive drug syndicate accused of smuggling six tons of methamphetamine from Canada to Australia and New Zealand. The traffickers were intercepted smuggling the drugs through shipments of maple syrup and canola oil.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ufc-fighter-conor-mcgregor-accused-of-sexual-assault-at-nba-finals-game-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor Accused Of Sexual Assault</a>
UFC superstar Conor McGregor has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the bathroom at Kaseya Center, home to the Miami Heat. According to a report from TMZ, the incident allegedly took place at Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Heat and Denver Nuggets. McGregor’s representatives have denied the allegations. According to demand letters from attorney Ariel Mitchell, the victim was separated from her friend by Heat and NBA security, where she was forced into a bathroom inside the arena. McGregor then emerged from a stall and forcibly kissed the woman while security guards allegedly guarded the doors.
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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-viewers-of-all-political-stripes-came-to-appreciate-pat-sajaks-all-american-appeal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Sajak Resigning</a>
After 41 years at the helm of “Wheel of Fortune,” Pat Sajak has announced that this will be his final season. As Sajak told NBC’s Al Roker, he always put the show first.
Sajak took over for Chuck Woolery in 1983 and now holds the Guinness world record for the longest-serving host of a single game show. Ryan Seacrest, Whoopi Goldberg, and letter spinner Vanna White have all been mentioned as replacements.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/justice-department-probing-pga-tour-liv-golf-merger-over-antitrust-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOJ Investigating PGA-LIV Merger</a>
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division has informed the PGA Tour that it will review the organization’s proposed merger with LIV Golf. The announcement of the deal last week immediately triggered antitrust concerns and sent shockwaves through the golf world.
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Friday

Friday Afternoon Update: Arrests Made Over Theft Of Yogi Berra World Series Rings, Stem-Cell Babies, Global Meth Ring Busted

General

LIV Golf

Methamphetamine

Morning Wire

New York Yankees

Pat Sajak

Science

In the wake of the brutal left hook former UFC champion Conor McGregor threw that wound up sending the Miami Heat mascot to the hospital, UFC president Dana White slammed the mascot for initiating the incident.
McGregor was standing at midcourt during Game 4 of the NBA finals between the Heat and the Denver Nuggets to promote his cryotherapy pain relief spray TIDAL when the mascot, “Burnie,” ran up to him wearing boxing gloves as a stunt. McGregor first leveled the mascot with one left hook, then hit him with another as the mascot lay on the ground.
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🇺🇸🥊 FLASH | Conor <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/McGregor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#McGregor</a> a mis K.O la mascotte du Miami Heat dans un combat scénarisé, lors du match 4 des finales NBA vendredi. L’individu a été transporté aux urgences à cause de la violence des coups.<a href="https://t.co/0fSkmejLhg">pic.twitter.com/0fSkmejLhg</a>
&mdash; Cerfia (@CerfiaFR) <a href="https://twitter.com/CerfiaFR/status/1667953197342679042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The man behind the Miami Heat’s mascot was reportedly taken to the emergency room after being punched by Conor McGregor last night 😬 
(via <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a>)<a href="https://t.co/NSBvNYQc0T">pic.twitter.com/NSBvNYQc0T</a>
&mdash; Guru (@DrGuru_) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrGuru_/status/1667639341383036929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“I saw the Deontay Wilder one, too,” White reacted, referencing the 2018 incident in which Wilder floored an ESPN Nacion mascot. The ESPN mascot got hit after Wilder, then 40-0 and nicknamed “The Bronx Bomber,” was allegedly unaware that the boxing idea was a joke.
“What&#8217;s up with mascots wanting to get punched in the face by professional fighters?” he continued. “What do you expect? I mean, what are those mascot things made out of? Unless you&#8217;re like, the Golden Knights mascot — I don&#8217;t even know what the hell he wears, but I&#8217;m assuming it&#8217;s a metal helmet — I wouldn&#8217;t have professional fighters punching me in the face if I was a mascot. Doesn&#8217;t seem like the brightest thing in the world.”
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Dana White reacts to Conor McGregor sending the Miami Heat mascot to the ER 👀 <a href="https://t.co/HksDrTwqQq">pic.twitter.com/HksDrTwqQq</a>
&mdash; Happy Punch (@HappyPunchPromo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HappyPunchPromo/status/1667781714687455233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“That’s the Miami Heat toughness that we’re talking about,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra grinned. “They should have been allowed to, you know, take the first swing. We won’t reveal who that is, but he’s tough. You take a punch and get back up, and yeah, he’s not gonna miss any time.”
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Miami Heat&#39;s Erik Spoelstra tells the media that Burnie the mascot is fine after getting socked by Conor McGregor, and taking a trip to the hospital in Game 4 of the NBA Finals&#8230; 
&quot;That&#39;s the Miami Heat toughness&#8230;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qDtFgvnR5M">pic.twitter.com/qDtFgvnR5M</a>
&mdash; USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) <a href="https://twitter.com/usatodaysports/status/1668275715643674625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“One minute I’m doing an interview, and the next I look up there’s a big a** burrito to the right of me, waiting on me,” he <a href="https://deadline.com/2018/10/boxer-deontay-wilder-on-espn-mascot-punch-i-thought-there-was-going-to-be-more-cushion-1202486467/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I didn’t hit no mascots [sic] or anything like that before and I said, ‘Yeah cool let’s make it happen.’ So once I got to select where I got to hit him, I told them: ‘I’m a head-hunter, I like to knock you out! I’m one of the hardest punchers in the world and I thought there was going to be more cushion or whatever. But when I hit him, it was like another opponent, it was crazy. They said I hit him on the chin. I think he was a little bit dazed at first.”
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Conor McGregor has joined elite company becoming the second fighter to send a mascot to hospital. Deontay Wilder did it last year! <a href="https://t.co/RlJcKgc5Gi">pic.twitter.com/RlJcKgc5Gi</a>
&mdash; Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoxingKingdom14/status/1667713107702185984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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SPORTS-BKN-HEAT-MASCOT-MI

‘Doesn’t Seem Like The Brightest Thing’: Dana White Slams Miami Heat Mascot Conor McGregor Floored With Left Hook

Dana White

Miami Heat

Sports

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/conor-mcgregor">Conor McGregor</a>’s first movie role will apparently have him doing what he does best: Beating the crap out of people.
The UFC legend has signed on to act in an upcoming remake of the classic film “Road House,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Jack Dalton. The protagonist, played in the 1989 original by Patrick Swayze, was a mysteriously cerebral professional bouncer from New York who restored peace and order to the Double Deuce, a in Jasper, Missouri, juke joint.
&#8220;Conor McGregor is very excited to expand his storied career to Hollywood and join with Jake Gyllenhaal in this reimagining of &#8216;Road House,&#8217; a beloved classic,&#8221; McGregor&#8217;s spokesperson Karen Kessler confirmed to ESPN. “While fighting remains his top focus, this is the beginning of another successful venture in the McGregor empire. He is eager to get started filming.&#8221;
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EXCLUSIVE: In what would mark his first acting job in a major studio movie, two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor is set to join Jake Gyllenhaal in Prime Video’s new reimagining of the classic ’80s action pic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadHouse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadHouse</a> | <a href="https://t.co/bdkbmc4pQM">https://t.co/bdkbmc4pQM</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dul4aQgTHO">pic.twitter.com/Dul4aQgTHO</a>
&mdash; Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1554849926240260097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Amazon Prime Video reboot takes place in a Florida Keys bar where Gyllenhaal, a former UFC fighter, presumably is forced to use his skilled fists and feet on local lunkheads.
“[Gyllenhaal&#8217;s character is] a former UFC fighter who takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise,” according to Amazon Prime.
It’s not clear where McGregor comes in, but Deadline, which first reported the Irishman’s role, said he will not play himself and will instead portray an original character.
According to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jake-gyllenhaal-road-house-remake-cast-1235190788/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>, “Swingers” veteran Doug Liman will direct the project, which will be produced by Joel Silver, who also produced the original.
McGregor, 34, suffered a fractured leg a year ago in his last bout with Dustin Poirier. He sold the majority of his Proper Twelve whiskey brand to Proximo Spirits, which owns Jose Cuervo in April 2021 for a reported $600 million, earning him a place atop Forbes list of the world&#8217;s highest-paid athletes.
McGregor is the UFC&#8217;s most popular fighter of all time. He was the first fighter to hold two titles in two different UFC divisions concurrently and lost a boxing match to former world champion Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
Swayze, who also starred in movie classics “Dirty Dancing,” “Point Break,” and “Ghost,” died of pancreatic cancer in 2009. The original &#8220;Road House&#8221; grossed a mere $30 million, but came to be revered as a cult classic.

Patrick Swayze

UFC Legend Lands Role In Gyllenhaal Reboot Of Swayze Classic ‘Road House’

UFC Legend Lands Role In Gyllenhaal Reboot Of Swayze Classic 'Road House'

Entertainment

Gyllenhaal

Movies

Swayze

He might be able to throw a punch, but he sure can&#8217;t throw a baseball.
UFC star fighter Conor McGregor threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field on Tuesday before a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Minnesota Twins. To say he missed the strike zone would be a gross understatement.
McGregor, wearing a tight blue-checked suit, threw the pitch at least 20 feet to the right, hitting a small retaining wall. The ball careened to the other side of home plate, forcing the catcher to run to retrieve it.
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Conor McGregor, Mechanics. <a href="https://t.co/j1brsqFFXx">pic.twitter.com/j1brsqFFXx</a>
&mdash; Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1440459592438218753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Said Yahoo: &#8220;What&#8217;s wild about McGregor&#8217;s first pitch (besides the pitch itself) is that we already knew he wasn&#8217;t much of a thrower, and yet he thought that this sport might be different. McGregor drew chuckles in 2018 when he met up with the Dallas Cowboys at AT&amp;T Stadium, which led to someone putting a football in his hands. The resulting throw resembled a shot put more than what you usually see from a quarterback.&#8221;
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Conor McGregor’s form may not work for throwing a football but we can confirm that it works for launching a <a href="https://twitter.com/MonsterEnergy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonsterEnergy</a> can at <a href="https://twitter.com/NateDiaz209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NateDiaz209</a> <a href="https://t.co/q2Cm28txI4">pic.twitter.com/q2Cm28txI4</a>
&mdash; The Rush (@therushyahoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/therushyahoo/status/1051605236060573696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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So we suggest McGregor stick to throwing punches.
Little does he know that he has forever joined an elite club of people who have thrown terrible first pitches.
Dr. Anthony Fauci
The nation&#8217;s top immunologist attended the Washington Nationals vs. New York Yankees in 2020 (when he was famously photographed with his mask down below his nose).
Fauci, who was a member of then-President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force, took to the mound to kick off a pandemic-marred baseball season. But the 79-year-old wound up and fired the ball &#8212; missing the strike zone by at least 10 feet, the ball even falling short of the dirt around home plate.
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Just a bit outside!!! <a href="https://t.co/pf7hA99z3n">pic.twitter.com/pf7hA99z3n</a>
&mdash; Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1286451848887468032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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50 Cent
The rapper oozes confidence in everything he does, but he didn&#8217;t acquit himself well when he took the mound in 2014 for a New York Mets vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game.
Like McGregor, he missed the plate by a mile, only to the left. He nearly hit a photographer with the wayward toss but laughed it off, breaking into a wide smile. Little did he know that he&#8217;d made the list and the clip would be played for years.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="50 Cent&#039;s throw goes WIDE left during the first pitch at Citi Field" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i-yuxF-C4_8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Michael Jordan
The Greatest Of All Time in the NBA, Jordan was also a solid baseball player, playing both sports professionally.
But when Jordan took to the mound at Wrigley Field to throw to slugger Sammy Sosa in 1998 &#8212; while wearing a Sosa jersey &#8212; his throw wasn&#8217;t close, soaring way over the head of the catcher.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Michael Jordan throws out the first pitch at Wrigley Field" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5elBYYSFy00?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Carly Rae Jepsen
The “Call Me, Maybe” singer had thrown a strike for the first pitch at a Baltimore Orioles game in the 2013 season. But her second first pitch attempt later that year in a game between the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros is the one everyone will remember. Jepsen wound up just fine &#8212; then threw the ball directly into the ground about 10 feet in front of her.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Carly Rae Jepsen&#39;s first pitch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBiggestWTFMoments?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheBiggestWTFMoments</a> <a href="https://t.co/4ErbmsqXja">pic.twitter.com/4ErbmsqXja</a>
&mdash; Nico (@kroos_nico) <a href="https://twitter.com/kroos_nico/status/1285736648316248064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Baba Booey
No list would be complete without the pitch by Gary Dell’Abate, longtime producer for &#8220;The Howard Stern Show.&#8221;
In the 2009 game between the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, Booey didn&#8217;t just miss the plate, he actually hit the home-plate umpire, who was standing off to the side, right in the chest. And for more than a decade, Stern has never let him forget the moment.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Gary&#039;s Pitch Multiple Angles (good quality) Baba Booey" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wfLIyT8HExY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Minnesota Twins v Chicago Cubs

WATCH: Fighter Conor McGregor Joins ‘The Worst First Pitch’ Club With Atrocious Throw

While Conor McGregor remains one of the few household names in the UFC — transforming MMA into equal parts sport and spectacle with his brash antics and elite striking — his meteoric rise as the promotion’s most recognizable star may be fast plummeting back to earth. McGregor just suffered another brutal loss, this time a second-round TKO in a rematch against Dustin Poirier, marking the first time in his MMA career that he’s ever been finished with strikes. 
Worse, he’s now ranked outside the top five of the Lightweight division and far removed from title contention. Though still the UFC’s most bankable star, McGregor’s reign as a top Lightweight contender and as one of the most feared fighters in the promotion may be coming to an end. 
Those crippling calf kicks 
Much has already been made of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_YT_B_Anzs&amp;ab_channel=BJJSCOUT">Dustin Poirier’s calf kicks</a> against McGregor in their recent rematch. After all, they were instrumental to his win. Poirier employed the strike to perfection, hobbling McGregor in the second round to set up a flurry of punches that lead to the stoppage.
McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, discussed how effective this strategy was for Poirier in an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FU-L1gd0jo&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;ab_channel=ESPNMMA">Ariel Helwani of ESPN</a>: 
<blockquote>
The fact that Dustin threw it is not that surprising. It was certainly part of our training, to deal with leg kicks. How devastating a technique it was somewhat caught us out. In the gym, when you’re throwing that technique, you’re not trying to kick your partner as hard as you possibly can, and you’re also wearing shin pads, kick pads. … You can build up a false confidence – ‘I feel it, but it’s not that bad.’ Then it’s only in fighting that you get tiny gloves and no shin pads…From October 2018, coming up two-and-a-half years almost, he had 40 seconds of feeling what kicks feel like with no pads on, and punches with four-ounce gloves. So, yeah, that is one thing you cannot replicate.
</blockquote>
It’s easy to pick apart a fighter’s game after a devastating loss as many <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpC7yn1hS4k&amp;feature=emb_title&amp;ab_channel=LukeThomas">MMA pundits</a> are now doing. Brett Okamoto of <a href="https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30800465/ufc-debate-conor-mcgregor-michael-chandler-dustin-poirier-fight-next">ESPN</a> believes that McGregor definitely “shouldn&#8217;t be fighting for a UFC title in his next bout.” While that makes sense, Okamoto also points out that McGregor “hasn&#8217;t won a 155-pound fight since 2016.” As such, the noted MMA analyst and commentator now ranks McGregor outside the top 10 of the Lightweight division. 
It’s no longer hyperbolic to suggest that McGregor’s star has fallen now that opponents are able to exploit some telling holes in his game. Those holes may not be easily remedied without a major shift moving forward.
McGregor’s fighting stance is now a Catch-22 for him 
What made McGregor so susceptible to Poirier’s kicks was his wide fighting stance and the fact that he placed so much weight on his lead leg when throwing his deadly and beautiful<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fzc_kSFO9A&amp;ab_channel=MindSmash"> left hand</a>. Poirier was able to hack away at McGregor’s leg with relative ease with little to no checks or counters from his opponent. 
Herein lies a legitimate Catch-22 for McGregor: if he narrows his stance he’s more susceptible to takedowns. If he keeps it the same, leg kicks remains a legitimate threat unless he’s willing to improve upon and change his already excellent skillset — not always an easy task for a storied fighter as we’ve seen with so many others, including BJ Penn and — most recently — Tony Ferguson. 
Former UFC Welterweight and Middleweight champion, George St-Pierre, expounded upon this conundrum while speaking on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCHvo1G2qHE&amp;ab_channel=MichaelBispingPodcast">Michael Bisping Podcast.</a>
“In MMA…because of the takedown and the size of the cage…stance[s] are wider…[I]f you’re legs are wide open and you’re going to try to shield it like Muay Thai style, you won’t have the time to do it because your legs are too wide. Unless you fight with a stance [with] your legs are closer, but if you do, your vulnerability will be compromised [to takedowns] standing up. So there’s no perfect way, there’s always a counter to the counter.”
Conceivably, McGregor could shorten his stance into more of a traditional Muay Thai position to counter leg kicks, as St-Pierre suggests. Former UFC Featherweight champion, Jose Aldo, has <a href="https://twitter.com/aidenh25/status/1274856058658467840?s=20">demonstrated</a> the effectiveness of such a stance against leg kicks to perfection. However, Aldo is able to fight in such a narrow stance because his sprawl is second to none. The Brazilian fighter has some of the best takedown defense in the entire game, according to many including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMStR0TcLKg&amp;feature=emb_title&amp;ab_channel=ChaelSonnen">Chael Sonnen</a>. McGregor simply does not have the same ability and is compelled to keep a wider stance as a result. 
That’s not to suggest that McGregor is poor at grappling either. He’s decent against takedowns, can often get back to his feet with ease, and is quite competent on the ground. The problem is that much of the competition in the Lightweight division is now comprised of elite grapplers like Charles Oliveira, Tony Ferguson, and now Michael Chandler. They are all leagues above McGregor in the grappling department and are all still excellent strikers.
Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, certainly <a href="https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/mbdxkb/how-khabib-nurmagomedov-smashed-conor-mcgregor?__twitter_impression=true">exploited McGregor’s grappling deficiency to a fatiguing degree</a> in their championship bout in 2018. To be fair though, no one has yet to stop the grappling onslaught of the Dagestani fighter, including other noted grapplers. 
That he’s already reframing his defeat may be a good sign 
Like most great athletes, Conor McGregor is a master of reframing his defeats, and his TKO loss to Poirier is no exception. In a recent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK13ACrpSaz/?igshid=1vrjx9xbqfata">Instagram post</a>, McGregor gave Poirier some kudos for the victory but mainly focused on what he himself did well, casting Poirier’s win as, essentially, a fluke. McGregor even posted an edited clip of the fight alongside his statement that only showcased his success in the bout: 
<blockquote>
Some highlights from my last fight! What a trilogy I now have on my hands. Exciting! With a handle on the leg kicks I will get back to having fun in there. I was in second gear cruising this fight. Best condition I’ve ever been in. After the wrestling and clinch exchanges my shots still held their pop. First time for me with this so I am very encouraged to keep going. It was the first time I did not use/nor need the stool between rounds also&#8230;
</blockquote>
McGregor expressed some frustration with Poirier’s debilitating leg kicks but insisted that his “shots [were] sharp” and that he was “in full control” of the fight otherwise.
While some might find this delusional, such confidence is integral to his future success, especially in a sport as volatile as MMA. 
Will the “Notorious” McGregor Return?
Since his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov, a kinder Conor McGregor has emerged. The arrogant bravado and bluster that gave so much swagger to his swing have given way to a more affable, even gentler McGregor. 
In the lead up to his second fight against Poirier, McGregor stated, &#8220;I love Dustin, I think he&#8217;s a good fighter. He&#8217;s even a great fighter, you know?” according to <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/sports/conor-mcgregor-vs-dustin-poirier-2-preview-and-prediction-plucky-irishman-to-pick-apart-american-in-short-order-9232221.html">First Post</a>. 
However, now that he’s faced two consecutive losses in the Lightweight division that both ended in spectacular fashion, it may be time for McGregor to manifest his “Notorious” moniker again. 
At the peak of McGregor’s success, his novel and vicious trash-talking toward his opponents leading up to the fights served as a very potent form of psychological warfare. He could get under an opponent’s skin like no other. He employed a combination of wit and a mean streak to unsettle his opponents, and it proved highly effective. 
McGregor was able to completely unsettle the usually stoic Jose Aldo — who was undefeated in the UFC at the time — in their Featherweight championship bout in 2015.  
He focused on Aldo’s impoverished background with brazen insults like, “[I]f this was a different time I would invade his favela on horseback and kill anyone that is not fit to walk,” according to <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/ufc/gallery/conor-mcgregors-20-most-savage-insults-to-ufc-opponents-111016">Fox Sports</a>. 
McGregor would end up winning that fight in 13 seconds with a perfectly timed counter left hand as an enraged Aldo uncharacteristically bum-rushed him with a wild lead hook. 
Of course, all that trash-talking backfired in 2018 in his Lightweight championship bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor would even attempt to rationalize his insults in the middle of the fight claiming, “<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/mma/conor-mcgregor-vs-khabib-fight-brawl-watch-video-ufc-229-its-only-business-a8575441.html">it’s only business</a>,” to no avail. The Dagestani fighter manhandled him to a submission victory with a brutal neck crank in the fourth round. 
Still, McGregor has had the most success when able to channel his “Notorious” side. The dilemma for him is that it can make him incredibly effective inside the cage, but hopelessly self-destructive outside of it. He almost blinded another UFC fighter when he <a href="https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/24885232/the-conor-mcgregor-bus-attack-words-were-there">launched a dolly</a> at a bus in the lead up to the fight against Nurmagomedov and even <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2019/08/22/conor-mcgregor-apologizes-punching-man-pub-dublin-ufc-mma/39998357/">punched an elderly man at a pub</a> over a perceived slight in 2019. 
His “Notorious” side is a Faustian pact, a deal with the Devil, and McGregor may finally be aware of it now. If he can channel his “Notorious” side in the Octagon only, it will benefit him, but such a feat for his tremendous ego may prove too tough a challenge.
***
Countless fighters rise and fall like Icarus with melted wings as opponents adapt and adjust and the sport itself matures. We just witnessed Dustin Poirier masterfully exploit a telling hole in McGregor’s game. It now remains to be seen if this most recent loss spells the end of McGregor as a top contender and potential champion in the Lightweight division. He still ranks among the sport’s elite strikers, but the mounting deficiencies in his game may signal that Conor McGregor could fast become yet another relic of the fight world in the ever-evolving sport of MMA.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

UFC 257: Poirier v McGregor

Not With A Bang, But With A Whimper: Is This The End For Conor McGregor?

Readers Pass

MMA champion Conor McGregor, a fierce supporter of President Trump, has joined with Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, which he founded, to donate over $1 million to New York’s Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation, which supports first responders across the United States. The organization is named after Stephen Siller, who died saving people on 9/11.
McGregor told John Aidan Byrne of <a href="https://pagesix.com/2020/03/10/conor-mcgregor-donates-1m-to-families-of-first-responders/">The New York Post</a>, “I have always had deep respect for first responders who are not only selfless but also fearless in performing their duties. They are willing to risk it all for perfect strangers.”
McGregor is keeping a promise he made that he would donate $5 for every case that was sold of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. He added, “We are so proud to partner with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to honor these proper heroes. The foundation’s goal is to ensure stability and security for these families facing sudden tragic loss.”
TheMacLife <a href="https://themaclife.com/featured-posts/first-responders-around-world-true-life-heroes-conor-mcgregors-proper-no-twelve-makes-considerable-donation-first-responders-charities/">website</a> reported that a press release from  Proper No. Twelve stated:
<blockquote>During Proper No. Twelve’s launch in late 2018, founder McGregor and his partners pledged that the whiskey company would donate $5 for every case of Proper No. Twelve sold until donations reached $1 million annually to first responder organizations around the world.  Thanks to the tremendous love and support for the brand as well as the high-quality liquid, Proper No. Twelve has become a bartender and consumer favourite, setting sales records for the industry. Proper No. Twelve has sold approximately 200,000 9-liter cases in America and, based on the $5 per case donation the company will donate $1 million dollars in the United States.
The company is proud to announce it has selected the New York-headquartered Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to receive this $1 million donation for the United States. The donation will go towards paying off the mortgages for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters across the country, who were killed in the line of duty and left behind young children. Tunnel to Towers has a score of 100 for Accountability &amp; Transparency on Charity Navigator. Additional donations will be announced in March and April for first responder organizations in Ireland, Canada, the UK, Australia, Russia, Poland and South Africa.</blockquote>
McGregor, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ufc-champion-conor-mcgregor-trump-phenomenal-president-possibly-greatest-of-all-time">called Trump</a>, “Phenomenal President. Quite possibly the USA greatest of all time,”also released a video on Tuesday promoting the foundation in which he states:
<blockquote>I am Conor McGregor: multiple weight MMA champion. I’m a fighter, and have been through many battles in the octagon. Many consider my fights in the octagon heroic. But the real-life heroes are those men and women who fight to protect us every day. The real-life fighters. The real-life heroes. The firefighters. The police officers. These first responders are true heroes, because these brave men and women put themselves in the line of danger every single day protecting us all. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation ensures hat first responders from fire, EMS and police departments who are killed in the line of duty with young children have a home without a burden of a mortgage. They are my heroes. They need our help today. I’d like to ask you to join men in donating $11 a month to support their efforts. Your $11 a month honors and supports our first responders. Please call now at 1-844-BRAVEST or visit tunneltotowers.org.</blockquote>
Video below:
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UFC 229 Khabib v McGregor: Weigh-Ins

Fierce Trump Supporter MMA Champ Conor McGregor Donates Over $1 Million To First Responders

First Responders

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